School board member compares testing to "child abuse"

The Lee School Board struck down the district's proposed testing calendar at its Tuesday night meeting, effectively eliminating 68 tests from grades kindergarten through fifth grade and putting assessment decisions back in teachers' hands.

The motion passed 3-1 with Cathleen Morgan in opposition and Chairman Tom Scott absent due to illness after school board members deliberated the necessity of district-mandated tests.

The 68 tests were modeled like basic chapter tests, but were created by the district rather than teachers. They did not have high-stakes consequences and were used for district progress monitoring. The tests were mandatory and uniform – or "standardized" – across each school.

With the guidance of their principals, teachers will now be given the authority to decide which tests – if any – will be administered, said district spokesperson Amity Chandler.

Morgan, the lone opponent of the decision, urged the board to respect what educators want.

"We are on shaky ground when we start to micromanage the people who are the experts in this district," she told the board. "I don't see how we can sit up here and say that they can't have what they want because we're going to pass judgment."

Board member Mary Fischer, who wore red for the vote, said the vote was not opting out entirely, but will significantly lower the volume of tests.

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The Lee School Board struck down the district’s proposed testing calendar at its Tuesday night meeting, effectively eliminating 68 tests from grades kindergarten through fifth grade and putting assessment decisions back in teachers’ hands.

Fischer said the amount of testing in recent years have been a form of "child abuse."

"We're supposed to have a learning environment for kids that is safe, and makes them ready to learn," Fischer said. "So when they're coming in afraid of the testing, and you tell them they're failing and parents are stressed out, it negatively impacts children in a psychological way."

The board is required to submit its district testing calendar, which is now empty, to the Florida Department of Education by Oct. 1.